503.659.4988
Your Home for LGBTQIA+ and Gender-Affirming Care
Finding a primary care provider who is both clinically knowledgeable and genuinely affirming is not always straightforward. Some patients have had experiences where they spent more energy managing their provider's comfort level than focusing on their own health. Others have avoided primary care altogether because the experience did not feel safe.
Northwest Primary Care is committed to providing respectful, patient-centered care for people of all identities. Our providers understand the unique health considerations that may affect LGBTQIA+ patients while recognizing that every person's healthcare needs and experiences are different.
Primary Care That Understands Your Health Needs
LGBTQIA+ individuals have distinct health considerations that are not always addressed well in general primary care settings. At NWPC, those needs are part of the clinical conversation. They're not an afterthought, and not something you have to educate your provider about from scratch.
LGBTQIA+ and gender-affirming care at NWPC includes:
Comprehensive preventive care and annual wellness exams
Hormone therapy management and monitoring for transgender and nonbinary patients
Screening protocols appropriate to anatomy, not assumed gender
Sexual health care and STI screening
PrEP and HIV prevention and management
Mental health screening and support
Cancer screenings tailored to individual health history
Referral coordination for surgical consultations and specialist care
Care for patients at every stage of transition
Hormone Therapy Management
For transgender and nonbinary patients on hormone therapy, consistent primary care is essential. It's important to track how hormone therapy affects your body's systems through regular monitoring.
Your NWPC provider manages hormone therapy within the context of your full health picture. That means your hormone care is not siloed from the rest of your primary care. It is coordinated alongside everything else your provider knows about you.
If you are earlier in the process and exploring hormone therapy, your provider can discuss what is involved, what monitoring looks like, and how to move forward in a way that is right for your situation.
Screenings Based on Your Anatomy and History
Screening recommendations that are based on assumed gender rather than actual anatomy miss the mark for many LGBTQIA+ patients. At NWPC, your preventive care is based on your individual health history and anatomy. This means that screenings like cervical screenings, breast health monitoring, colorectal screenings, and other preventive care measures are recommended based on what is relevant to you specifically. Your provider will walk through your screening schedule with you clearly at your annual wellness exam.
Sexual Health
Sexual health care at NWPC is direct, non-judgmental, and thorough. STI screening, PrEP for HIV prevention, and follow-up care are all part of what we offer. Your provider will ask about sexual health as a routine part of care and an important part of your overall health picture.
If you are interested in PrEP, your NWPC provider can evaluate whether it is appropriate for you, prescribe it, and manage the required follow-up monitoring.
Mental Health
LGBTQIA+ individuals experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns, often because of their experiences in the world. NWPC providers screen for mental health as a standard part of care.
If a concern is identified, your provider will discuss it with you directly. That may mean a referral to a therapist or mental health specialist, a conversation about medication, or simply acknowledgment and monitoring over time. You will be taken seriously.
A Practice Built on Long-Term Relationships
One of the greatest benefits of primary care is having a provider who knows you over time. For LGBTQIA+ patients, that continuity can help create a more comfortable experience and support care that reflects your individual health history, goals, and needs.
Instead of repeating your story at every visit, you can build an ongoing relationship with a provider who understands your health over time and can offer care that's informed by that history. It means your provider can track what has changed and what has stayed the same. It means your care is genuinely personalized, not just well-intentioned.
503.659.4988